Method and apparatus for impregnating brake linings



June 11,1935. c. P/BROCKWAY 2,004,267

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING BRAKE LININGS Filed Dec. 29, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 w-Z- /0fa /0/ I l i I i 57 l l l l I I 52 31- -4 if" @421. Ewe/(WAY 3 WMAW W N mm A TTORNE Y 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNE Y June 11, 1935. c, P, BROCKWAY METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING BRAKE LININGS Filed Dec. 29, 1930 June I l, 1935.

' c. P. BROCKWAY 2,004,267

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING BRAKE LININGS Filed Dec. 29, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR CARL R -5/?OC/( WA Y BY W AZTORNEY 4 Jufle 11, 1935. C P, c w I 2,004,267

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING BRAKE LININGS Filed Dec. 29, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR 64/21. R BE GkM/A) A TTORNE Y June 11, 1935. I c. P. BROCKWAY 2,004,267

I METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATINQ BRAKE LININGS Filed Dec. 29, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 a if II A TTORN June 11, 1935.

c. F BROCKWAY METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING BRAKE LININGS Filed Dec. 29, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 6' INVENTOR 6424 P flew/awn Y A TTORNE Y Patented June 11, 1935 PATENT OFFICE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DHPREG- NATING BRAKE LININGS Carl P. Brockway, Ridgewood, N. J., assignor to World Bestos Corporation, Paterson, N. 1., a corporation of Delaware Application December 29, 1930, Serial No. 505,253

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for impregnating brake lining or the like, and more particularly brake lining formed of strands of asbestos material reinforced in any suitable manner. a

An important object of the invention is to provide a method whereby uniform impregnation of brake lining or the like may be effected. Another object is to provide apparatus whereby such uniform impregnation may be obtained.

Other objects of the invention are to provide novel means for supplying the impregnating liquid at a measured rate; means for spreadingthe impregnating material over the brake lining; means for assuring substantially complete use of all the impregnating material; and means for supplying the brake lining and the impregnating material in synchronized relation so that at all times the proper amount of impregnating material will be applied to the brake lining.

Other objects and advantages will appear upon consideration of the following description and of the drawings, in which Fig. l is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view on a larger scale of the structure shown in Fig. 1, one end frame of the machine being removed and parts being shown in section or brokenaway to show the structure clearly;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a treatment roller which determines the path of the brake lining in its passage through a trough containing impregnating material;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view illustrating one. of the spreading devices and adjusting means therefor;

' Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view at the entrance side of the machine, certain parts being omitted to show the underlying structure;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the driving reel around which the brake lining strips pass before leaving the apparatus;

Fig. 71s a view in front elevation illustrating the construction of the driving reel;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken in a plane through the axis -of one of the pump elements and through its outlet, the pump elements being shown in the positions assumed thereby at the end of a downward stroke.

Fig. 9 is a view showing the. relative positions of the parts of a pump element at the end of the upward stroke; l

55 Fig. 10 shows the position of the parts of a pump unit when the pump in its downward stroke has forced the liquid therefrom; and

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary top plan View showing two pump units, certain of the parts being omitted and others shown in section.

According to the preferred form of carryingout the invention, one or more brake lining strips are drawn from a suitable source of supply; passed around the bottom of a suitable roller in a trough containing impregnating liq- 1g uid; carried back and forth around rollers and over drip pans until all of the impregnating liquid is taken up; and advanced along any desired path by means including a driving reel, and discharged for later treatment as by heating and" drying. The impregnating material is fed to the trough by pumping means operated in synchronism with the drive for the brake lining so as to supply the impregnating material at the proper rate. In its passage back and go forth around the rollers and over the drip pans at the discharge side of the trough, the impregnating liquid is spread over the surfaces of the brake lining and surplus impregnating material on the upper side of a strip in one stretch 25 flows over the edges-and .is discharged upon the other side of the brake lining in a lower stretch, thus assuring complete utilization of the impregnating material. Although the apparatus may be constructed for impregnating one brake lin- 3o ing strip at a time, this would not be practicable for economic reasons, and the apparatus is accordingly constructed to accommodate a plurality of strips of brake lining.

Referring to the drawings, brake lining strips I5 are supplied from a source not shown, guided between guide pins I6, projecting from a guide pin bar J! carried by brackets Ila on the main frame, and passed between horizontal rollers 18 to one or more loose rollers l9 from which they pass downwardly to individual troughs 20 containing the impregnating material. Preferably these troughs 20 are formed as parts of a main trough divided by partitions 2| into a plurality of sections one for each strip l5 of the brake lining, and each of these troughs 20 is supplied with impregnating material through a ipe 22 from pumping apparatus. to be descriobmf l iereinafter. Located in each of the tr ughs is a treatment roller 23 supported'i any suitable manner as by means of arms 24 projecting downwardly from a bar 25 supported at its opposite ends on the postsorstandards 26 at the entrance side and forming party of the frame of the machine. 66

From the bottom of the corresponding treatment roller 23, each strip of brake lining i5 passes upwardly out of the trough, over the top of a fluted roller 2! and then downwardly back and forth around fluted rollers 28 arranged alternately at the rear and front edges of the posts 26 until it reaches the lowermost roller 28 at the rear edge of the posts 26, from which the brake lining strip passes substantially horizontally over a drip pan 29 to driving reel 30 at the discharge end of the apparatus. In order that the driving reel may have suitable engagement with the brake lining strips l5, these strips are led around the greater part of the circumference of the driving reel and then under a roller 3| from the top of which they pass out of the apparatus. The driving reel and certain of the rollers are positively driven by means to be described hereinafter.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 3, the treatment roller 23 is formed with a plurality of projections 32 arranged in longitudinal and also circumferential rows to enable the impregnat'mg liquid to reach substantially all parts of the surface of the brake lining in engagement with the treatment roller. It should be understood, however, that the treatment roller may be formed in other ways and at the same time be suitable for this purpose. Also, as shown in Fig. 2, the other rollers over which the brake lining passes are fluted or formed with longitudinal grooves so as to provide longitudinal ribs or teeth 33 for engagement with the brake lining, thus leaving the surfaces of the brake lining exposed to a considerable extent. Preferably the driving. reel,38 extends completely across the machine and is made up of heads 33a to be mounted on a shaft 33b and connecting members 330 in the form of angles. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, each of the heads 33a. is made up of an end disc and a projecting hub having a regular polygonal crosssection to correspond with the number of angles 33c, one flange of each angle resting on corresponding surfaces of the two hubs and being secured in position as by screws 33d. Supports similar to the hubs may be provided to stiffen the angles 33c.

The depth of the impregnating material in each trough 20 is limited by the height thereof at the side adjacent to the roller 21 and, if there is any excess of liquid over the capacity of the trough, such excess will overflow down adischarge chute or outlet 34 andbe deposited upon the portion of the brake lining passing from the roller 21 to the uppermost roller 28. Adjacent to the point where the liquid from the outlet 34 falls on the brake lining, there is provided a spreader 36 which acts to spread the liquid and also to limit the amount which is carried forward on the upper surface of the brake lining at this point, any excess liquid being worked tothe edges of the brake band where it falls into a drip pan 39 which also receives the drippings from the brake lining after it passes over theroller 21.

The drip pan 39 is divided into sections corresponding to the various trough sections by partitions 40 and near their lower edges the of the brake linings, and in each case the drippings fall on the brake lining just before it .reaches a spreader 36. Obviously, the number the brake lining can be made larger or smaller to allow more or less of the material to pass therethrough. The spreaders are mounted at their ends in brackets or plates 43 connected with the posts 26, and the spreaders are held in different angular positions with reference to the brackets 43 by means of set screws 44 threaded through portions of the brackets 43 and projecting into corresponding recesses or openings 45 in the end of the spreader. The brackets 43 may also be adjustable to adjust the position of the spreader bar as by swinging it to or from the corresponding stretches of the brake lining. To this end the brackets or plates 43 are provided with arcuate slots 46 through which project bolts 41 passing through corresponding openings in the material of the posts 26. When the brackets or plates 43 are in proper adjusted position they may be secured against movement by screwing up nuts 48 on the bolts 41.

The frame of the apparatus includes, in addition to the posts 26 already mentioned, posts 50 at the discharge end of the apparatus, -members 5| and 52 connecting respectively the upper ends and the lower ends of the posts 26, members 53 connecting the lower ends of the posts 26 with the lower ends of the corresponding posts 50, members 54 connecting the upper ends of the posts 26 with the upper ends of the corresponding posts 50, inclined braces 55 extending from the rear posts 50 to the members;

54 and assisting the latter in supporting part of the driving mechanism, and an upwardlyfacing channel 56 extending between the posts 50 and serving to receive the bottom of a tank 51 from which the impregnating material in liquid form is supplied to the troughs or trough sections 20 through which the brake lining strips are led.

For supplying the impregnating material through the various pipes or tubes 22 to the corresponding trough sections, provision may be made of a plurality of pump units 58 arranged along the tank in suitable spaced relation. Each of the pump units includes a vertical barrel 59 having at an intermediate point an enlargement 60 of the bore 6| constituting a chamber which is connected through the passage 62 in a lateral extension 63 of the barrel with the corresponding pipe 22. the extension 63 is securely attached to the wall of the tank 51 around an opening in said wall through which the tube or pipe-22 projects. Through its upper end the barrel 59 receives a positively actuated plunger -64 and through its lower end a plunger 65'having a lost motion connection with the plunger 64, including a vertically reciprocating frame or yoke 66, the function of which will be brought out hereinafter. Said frame 66 has vertical sides provided with external ribs 6'! projecting into corresponding slots 68 in guide members 69. The guide mem- The end of i bers may be held in position in any suitable manner, as by attachment tothe walls of the tank 51. At the upper end of 'the barrel 59 there is -a countersunk recess I0 containing packing II which is compressed by means of a tively acting means and without lost motion whereas the lower plunger 65 is, moved downwardly by direct engagement thereof by the plunger 64 and upwardly by the lower end I5 of the frame or yoke 66, the plunger 65 normally being held frictionally against movement by other agencies. Such frictional holding action may be obtained by providing at one side of the barrel or cylinder a slot 16' extending substantially half way around the barrel, and inserting in said slot a separate member 'I'I pressed towards the remaining portion of the barrel at this point in a suitable manner, as by providing corresponding perforated ears I8 on the barrel 59 and cooperating member II, bolts I9 passing through corresponding ears, nuts 80 threaded on the ends of the bolts, and springs 8! on said bolts to press the member II towards the corresponding part of the barrel and grip the lower plunger 65.

As illustrated, the plunger 65 has a reduced portion 92 passing through the lower end I5 of the frame 66, and at the upper end of said reduced portion a shoulder 83 which is engaged by the frame end I5 in lifting the plunger. The plunger 65 is depressed by the plunger (it which has the same stroke at all times and in order to prevent movement of the plunger 65 below the point to which his moved by the plunger 64, it may be formed with a further extension 84 which is brought into engagement with the bot- I During further upward movement of the plunger 54, the plunger' 65 will be moved therewith and the measured amount of liquid therebetween will be raised to the chamber 60. In the downward movement of the plunger 64 the lower plunger 65 will be held stationary until engaged by the upper plunger after all the liquid therebetween has been forced out (Fig. 10) and then will be moved downwardly by the upper plunger to its lowermost position (Fig. 8) preparatory to another cycle of operation of the pump.-

To obtain the best results, the surface of liquid in the tank 51 should be kept at substantially the same level at all times. This may be done by means of a pump 95 forcing liquid from a tank 86 through a pipe i'l'dischar g into the top 'of the tank 51, and an overflow line 88 through which all liquid rising above said predetermined liquid level is returned to thetank It Any one of the pipes 22 may be shut off by means of a valve 99 without'requiring the stoppage of the pumping means, the only difference in the action of the corresponding'pump unit being that upon downward movement of the upper plunger 64 the lower plunger 65 will be forced down by the liquid pressure instead of remaining stationary until engaged directly by the upper plunger. In other words, the closing of a valve 89 in any one of the pipes 22 will cause the corresponding pump unit to idle.

It may be desirable to vary the capacity of each pump unit 58. This must, of course, be done without varying the movement of the upper plunger 64 and may be obtained by causing the lower plunger to be picked up by the frame 66 at an earlier or later stage in the upward movement of the upper plunger 64. An effective means for carrying out this purpose is illustrated in Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11. Screwed on the upper end of the upper plunger 64 is an adjusting head 90 comprising a dial adapted for hand operation, a cylindrical portion 9| rotatable in the upper end 92 of the frame 66, and a threaded lower end 93 on which is screwed a nut 'or collar 94 to complete the connection between the adjusting head and the frame 66 so that the frame will be moved by the adjusting head irrespective of the direction of movement. nut or collar 94 has been adjusted onsaidthreads ed lower end 93 it may be secured in this position by means of a set screw 94a. vided with a suitably calibrated scale 95 which cooperates with a reference mark or pointer 96 (Fig. 11) on the frame 66. Obviously, by screwing the adjusting head up or down on the plunger 64, the distance between the plungers in their upward movement together will be decreased or increased respectively.

Operation of all the pump units in unison may be effected by connecting each of the upper plungers fi iwith an arm 91 projecting from a rock shaft 98 mounted on brackets 99 carried by the tank 51, the connection between each of the plungers 64 and the corresponding arm 97 being made by a link I00 pivoted at IM to the upper end of the plunger and at I92 to the arm. The rock shaft 98 is actuated by an arm N13 fixed thereon and connected by means of a pivot M4 at its outer end with the upper end of a link I95 which in turn is connected at its lower end with a pin I06 eccentrically mounted on a member or disc IIJ'I fixed on a shaft I08 journalled on the top of the frame. The shaft I08 is provided with a gear I09 meshing with a larger gear H0 on a second shaft I II journalled on the top of the frame'and the shaft I Ii is provided with another gear H2 meshing with a larger gear H3 on a shaft H4 also journalled on the top of the frame, whereby the shaft I08 rotates at a much greater speed than the shaft I I 4, which may be utilized as the driving shaft.

The driving connection between the pumping vmeans and the means for advancing the strips posts 26 in Fig. 1, and the thirdand sixth-atv the right'of the posts), around the left side and bottom of a sprocket H9 loose on lthelshaft. I20 of the set of rollers 29 at the lower end of the posts 26, around the bottom and right side of a sprocket l2l fixed on the. shaft 33b of the driv- After the The dial is proing reel 30, around an idler sprocket I23 on a, v stub shaft I24 projecting from one of the posts 59, and then back to the sprocket H6. Obviously the rollers on the shaft 4 and on the shafts 8 are fixed thereto.- As illustratedin Fig. 1, slack in the sprocket chain may be taken up by a take up roller I25 engaging the sprocket chain between the sprocket I I6 and the first sprocket H1, the roller being mounted on one or more arms I26 pivoted at I21 on a bracket I28 provided with an arcuate slot I29 receiving the shaft or pivot I30 of the take-up roll and serving to limit the movement thereof, particularly when the sprocket chain is removed.

Preferably theapparatus is made up of one or more units, each accommodating a plurality of brake lining strips I5, and there are individual rollers for all of the strips passing through each unit until the strips reach the driving reel 30 which extends completely across the unit.

In treating brake lining strips according to the present invention, the impregnating material is supplied at a rate which corresponds with the rate of movement through'the apparatus, the liquid carried along by the strips is spread over the surfaces of the strips and the amount of material in the coating is regulated, and impregnating material removed from one surface of a strip is applied to the other, thus acting to produce uniform impregnation. Also by the use of fluted rollers 21 and 28, the surface of each strip is exposed to the air to a greater extent and there is less interference with uniform dis tribution of the impregnating material.

It should be understood that various changes may be made in the manner of carrying out the invention and that various features may be used without others without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: Y

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a trough, means for maintaining liquid at a predetermined level in said. trough, and means for guiding a continuous strip through said trough including a treatment roller mounted for free rotation with its lower part beneath said predetermined level and having intersecting passages at its surface to provide communication between the body of liquid in the trough and the inner surface of the strip as it passes around the bottom of the roller, plural,

approximately flat top, friction surfaces lying between said intersections.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a trough, means for maintaining liquid at. a predetermined level in said trough, and means for guiding a continuous strip through said trough including a treatment -roller located with its lower part beneath said predetermined level and having friction surfaces 'with circumferential passages at these surfaces to accommodate liquid between said roller and said strip.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the

combination of a trough, means for maintaining liquid atv a predetermined level 'in said trough, and means for guiding a continuous strip through said trough including a treatment roller located with its lower part beneath said predetermined level and having at its surface intersecting circumferential and longitudinal passages between outer frictional'areas to accommodate liquid between said roller and said strip.

4. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of strip handling rollers, each of said rollers being positioned above the other, arranged in staggered relation vertically to feed a strip downwardly in successive downwardly inclined stretches, means for discharging liquid at a predetermined position on one of said stretches, and spreading means for spreading the liquid thus discharged and causing the excess to be discharged over the edges of the strip and on the lower stretch between said staggered rollers.

5. In impregnating apparatus of the class described, the combination of strip handling means to feed a strip downwardly in downwardly inclined stretches extending alternately in different directions, aspreader for cooperation with the upper surface of one of said stretches to limit the amount of impregnating material carried forward on the strip and to discharge excess of material over the edge of the strip, and an inclined drip pan beneath such stretch and having a part adapted to receive the material thus discharged over the edges of the strip and deliver it to the other side of the strip at its middle and along the next lower stretch.

6. The method of impregnating a strip, which includes the steps of feeding the strip along a predetermined path, supplying impregnating material to said strip at a predetermined position in said path and at a rate corresponding to the rate of movement of the strip, spreading the impregnating material at-successive intervals alternately on opposite sides of the strip, and delivering any excess of impregnating. material at one side of a strip to the opposite side thereof.

7. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of strip handling rollers arranged in staggered relation vertically to feed a strip downwardly in successively downwardly, inclined stretches, and means for discharging liquid at a predetermined position on one of the upper of said stretches and a flow directing receptacle beneath another of said stretches.

8. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of strip handling rollers arranged in staggered relation vertically to feed a strip downwardly in successively downwardly inclined stretches, and a plurality of liquid collecting and discharging receptacles, one between each pair of strip stretches.

CARL P. BROCKWAY. 

